FIRST EDITION OF MILL'S CLASSIC. MILL, JOHN STUART. On Liberty. London: John W. Parker and Son, ...

FIRST EDITION OF MILL'S CLASSIC. MILL, JOHN STUART. On Liberty. London: John W. Parker and Son, 1859. 8vo. 8 pp of ads at rear. Publisher's purple cloth, spine lettered in gilt, red-brown endpapers, fading to spine and upper margin of cloth, custom clamshell box. Provenance: Dr. Bottcher, Rendsburg (early stamp). WITH: Considerations on Representative Government. London: Parker, Son and Bourn, 1861. Publisher's cloth, a bright copy. Custom cloth chemise, cloth box, morocco title label. Provenance: Hon. Stanley C. Wisniewski (pencil inscription) in both works. FIRST EDITION OF MILL'S LANDMARK WORK ON FREEDOM AND INDIVIDUALISM. Mill's 'most widely read book ... represents the final stage in the growth of Utilitarian doctrine. Mill realized that the 'greatest good' of the community is inseparable from the liberty of the individual. Hitherto, liberty had always been considered relative, in relation to tyranny or oppression: Mill extended tyranny to include a custom-ridden majority, and declared that 'the sole end for which mankind is justified in interfering with liberty of action is self-preservation.' ... 'The influence which Mill's works exercised upon contemporary English thought can scarcely be overestimated ... Many of Mill's ideas are now the commonplaces of democracy. His arguments for freedom of every kind of thought or speech have never been improved on' (PMM 345). For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing